Graham Walker, Commercial Content Editor

The Wailers drummer Aston Barrett Jr today revealed he is so spiritually in tune with reggae king Bob Marley's backing band that he sometimes feels possessed on stage.

He believes it is the spirit of band's iconic drummer, his late uncle Carlton Barrett.

And the sound is definitely in his DNA.

He is part of The Wailer's current line up - playing the iconic album Legend in its entirety on a 14 date UK tour - along with his bassist dad, Wailers superstar Aston "Family Man" Barrett and veteran lead guitarists Junior Marvin and Donald Kinsey.

One Love, Jamming, Is This Love, Three Little Birds, No Woman, No Cry, Could You Be Loved, Buffalo Soldier, Get Up, Stand Up and I Shot the Sheriff are just some of global hits they play from the best selling reggae album of all time.

Aston, aged 27, in an exclusive interview - listen to it here - told how he feels his uncle's spirit on stage. He said : "I wasn't born when my dad and the guys used to play with Bob Marley - so I never met him.

"But I know them all in spirit. Their music is around me and I can feel my uncle all the time, sometimes when I am playing the drums.

"The last two shows I did felt like somebody took over my body and when one of the band looked over he told me he didn't see me but my uncle. I thought the same thing.

The Wailers

"After the show I felt very exhausted. It is very spiritual and emotional."

He admits he can get a starstruck when he checks out who he is playing with on stage.

"It's funny every time I think about it I'm saying to myself, 'That's Family Man' - and that's my dad. I am super proud of him. I am proud to be is DNA," he said.

"The Wailer sound is the Barrett sound. The heart beat is the drums and the bass is the backbone. If you take Bob's voice and put it on rhythms by other musicians it sounds good, but shows how powerful the Barrett sound is."

The Wailers playing the iconic Legend album on a 14 date UK tour.

He said of his father: "He got the name Family man from friends because he was always caring when he was young.

"This was before he ever had kids. I don't really know how many brothers and sisters I've got, I think it's about 43 - but he has always been there for all of us and made sure everyone of us counts."

The Legend album, a compilation of greatest hits, came three years after the tragic cancer death of Marley, who died aged just 36 in 1981. It went on to sell 25 million copies world wide and is named by Rolling Stone and others as one of the greatest albums of all time.

It still sells thousands of copies every week.

Aston said: "Fans are going to get the show of their lives - something that they have never seen before. It is going to be the closest thing to when Bob Marley was alive. They will get the Legend album plus a little bit more.

"People love this album so much because it speaks about peace, love and unity and it's real.

"People should come see the show because it will enlighten them.

"When Bob escaped an assassination attempt he was so blessed to know that the almighty saved him and gave him more time to do what he had to do. But deep down he knewhis time was short to get his message out there."

* Tickets for The Wailers at Sheffield O2 Academy on Friday, March 17 are £23.10, including booking fees. Buy in person at the Box Office, Monday to Saturday, noon to 4pm, call 0844 477 2000 or visit academymusicgroup.com/o2academysheffield.